How Vertical Farming Works
Vertical farming is a system utilized by indoor farmers. The growth factors are controlled, while plants are kept in place by surfaces or modules. The ability to manipulate growth factors such as light, nutrients, water, and humidity for the plants may produce greater crop yields. Yields are informative to market pricing and community food security. In this article, you’ll explore how vertical farming uses conveyorsand other systems to maximize yields.
Equipment Used for Vertical Farming
To achieve the best yields, farmers utilize diverse equipment. The maintenance of indoor farming machines is critical to the growth factors’ value.
Lighting
Energy-efficient LED lights are installed in vertical farming greenhouses. Though sufficient for indoor farming, botanists are continually looking for new technology that best mimics sunlight—a tough element to replicate.
The obstacle to replace the sun’s efficacy in providing plant nutrients continues to pose a challenge for indoor farming facilities. Farmers have enhanced other growth factors as an attempt to bridge the nutrient gap for indoor plants.
Conveyors
Agriculture is one of the most valuable industries that use conveyor systems. Automatic conveyors enable great productivity and a decreased need for manual labor. Vertical farming companies utilize these versatile systems to maximize their facilities’ spaces.
Conveyors create separation of product as needed and relocate plants to optimize each resource. How vertical farming uses conveyorsdepends on the equipment on site.
Types of Conveyors Used for Indoor Farming
There are different types of conveyors utilized to make agricultural processes quick and smooth. The following conveyor system types are commonly used for vertical botany, as they support commercial scale production.
- Gravity roller conveyors
- Belt conveyors
- Skate wheel or flow rail conveyors
- Overhead monorail conveyors
- Power and free conveyors
The Future of Vertical Farming
As soil conditions become more unfavorable and agricultural land less accessible, indoor farming is going to become more vital to food security. With technological and industrial advancements, vertical farmers will be able to keep up with high demands for food production. Vertical farming is a practice that will continue to boom as optimal outdoor areas diminish.
